This invention relates to a fabric care composition, to the use of the composition during a laundering process and to a method of treating a fabric using the composition.
Fabric softening and/or conditioning compositions are known to impart benefits to fabric. Such compositions are generally applied to the fabric during the rinse cycle of a domestic laundering process. Fabrics treated with the compositions generally have a softer feel and improved handle compared to untreated fabric.
A number of compounds are known to act as fabric softening and/or conditioning agents. Generally, these are delivered to the fabric during the rinse cycle of a laundering process. These known compounds include quaternary ammonium compounds such as so-called Hamburg quaternary ester (HEQ) ie, 1,2-bis[hardened tallowoyloxy]-3-trimethylammonium-propane chloride.
The known fabric softening and/or conditioning compounds can provide a degree of resistance to creasing in the fabric. However, there remains a need for fabric softening and/or conditioning compounds which can impart a greater crease resistance.
The present invention relates to fabric softening and/or conditioning compositions which can impart improved crease resistance to fabrics relative to conventional compositions. The compositions of the invention also exhibit other advantages; fabrics treated with the compositions can have greater bulk, better in-wear fabric flow, improved drape and creasing properties and reduced folding and storage creasing.
Certain cationic compositions obtained by the reaction of epichlorohydrin with compounds having amino and amide functional groups, the compounds being formed by the acylation with long chain acyl groups of tetraethylene pentamine, have been used in the treatment of textiles. However, these treatments are applied industrially and do not form part of a fabric laundering process. The treatments have been applied as part of the cycle for dyeing acrylic fibers and as a finish in industrial processes.
According to the present invention, there is provided a fabric care composition comprising a perfume and a compound which is obtainable by the reaction of epichlorohydrin with an amine, wherein the amine is a derivative of a polyamine in which some but not all of the amino groups bear long chain acyl groups.
The invention also provides the use of a composition of the invention or of a compound used in the compositions of the invention to soften and/or condition fabric during a laundering process.
Further provided by the invention is a method of treating a fabric which comprises applying to the fabric a composition of the invention or a compound used in the compositions of the invention as part of a laundering process.
The present invention involves fabric care compositions which comprise a perfume and a compound which is obtainable by the reaction of epichlorohydrin with an amine.
The perfume will generally be present in the composition in a relatively minor amount compared to the amount of the compound. Preferably, the perfume is present in an amount of up to about 5% by weight of the composition, more preferably up to 1% by weight, most preferably 0.001% to 1% by weight. The perfume may be a single compound or a mixture of different compounds. Any of the perfumes which are known for use in fabric care compositions, such as domestic detergent or fabric conditioning compositions, may be used in the compositions of the invention, although other perfumes may be employed in addition or instead. Examples of perfumes which may be used in the compositions of the invention are those described in, for instance, EP-A-0545556, EP-A-0332259, EP-A-0430315, EP-A-0404470, U.S. Pat. No. 5652206 and WO 97/31094.
The compound which is used in the compositions of the invention is obtainable by the reaction of epichlorohydrin with an amine. It will be appreciated that the reaction product formed by the reaction of epichlorohydrin with the amine may be a mixture of different compounds. The compound used in the composition of the invention is preferably in the form of this mixture. Alternatively, the compound may be a partly or substantially completely purified product obtainable from the reaction product.
The amine which is reacted with epichlorohydrin to form the compound is a derivative of a polyamine. The polyamine is preferably a linear polymer. The polyamine preferably has at least 3 nitrogen atoms in the polymer chain, including any nitrogen atoms in the end groups of the polymer chain. More preferably, the polyamine has from 3 to 10 nitrogen atoms in the polymer chain (including its end groups), most preferably 3 to 7 nitrogen atoms, such as 5 nitrogen atoms (eg, the polyamine may have a backbone based on tetraethylene pentamine). Preferably, the nitrogen atoms form part of primary or secondary amino groups in the underivatised polyamine. The nitrogen atoms within and at the end of the chain are linked by any suitable linker groups. Linker groups include alkylene groups, such as C1 to C8 alkylene (eg, ethylene or propylene), optionally containing other atoms or groups in or on the alkylene groups eg, amide groups in the alkylene chain or alkyl or hydroxyl groups on the alkylene chain.
The polyamines are modified, to form derivatives, such that at least one but not all of the nitrogen atoms bear long chain acyl groups. The amines therefore contain at least one amino group (ie, an amino group in the polyamine which is not acylated) and at least one amido group (ie, an amino group in the polyamine which has been acylated). The amines may contain only one amino group. The long chain acyl groups include xe2x80x94C(O)R groups, where R is C10 to C30 alkyl. The alkyl groups may be branched or unbranched, cyclic or linear. Preferably, the alkyl groups are unbranched and are linear. Advantageously, the alkyl groups are saturated and/or unsubstituted. However, the long chain in the acyl groups may contain double bonds and may be substituted in or on the chain. Preferably, the acyl groups include one or more n-C22H46xe2x80x94C(O)xe2x80x94 groups. The polyamine may be acylated with one type of acyl group or with a mixture of different acyl groups, such as, for example, a mixture of acyl groups of different chain lengths.
The amines may be produced by acylation of the polyamine with a long chain acylating agent. Suitable acylating agents include fatty acids, fatty acid esters, fatty acid chlorides and fatty acid anhydrides. Preferably, the polyamine is acylated using a fatty acid. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reaction of the polyamine with the acylating agent can be represented by the following schematic reaction:

wherein:
A is an alkylene chain (eg, C1 to C6);
R is a long chain alkyl group (eg, C10 to C30);
X is a leaving group such as OH or Cl;
n is an integer from 1 to 8;
each Rxe2x80x2 is, independently, H or COR; and
B contains at least one (Axe2x80x94NH) group and at least one (Axe2x80x94N(COR)) group, the total number of both groups being equal to n.
Preferably, B contains more (Axe2x80x94N(COR)) groups than (Axe2x80x94NH) groups and, desirably, there are n+1 COR groups in the compound of formula Rxe2x80x2HNxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94NHRxe2x80x2.
The compound of formula Rxe2x80x2HNxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94NHRxe2x80x2, which may be in the form of a mixture of different compounds, is reacted with epichlorohydrin to form the compound which may be used in the fabric care compositions of the invention. The epichlorohydrin is preferably reacted with the amine in an amount of from 0.25 to 0.75 molar equivalents. Conditions for the acylation reaction are well-known in the art. Preferably, from n to n+1.5 molar equivalents of acylating agent are reacted with the compound of formula H2Nxe2x80x94(Axe2x80x94NH)nxe2x80x94Axe2x80x94NH2 eg, from 3 to 4.5 molar equivalents of acylating agent may be reacted with a pentamine (for example, tetraethylene pentamine). The reaction is preferably carried out in the absence or substantial absence of air (eg, in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon).
When a fatty acid is employed as the acylating agent, the reaction is preferably carried out at an elevated temperature of over 100xc2x0 C. (preferably 110 to 220xc2x0 C.) with the water which is formed in the reaction being distilled out of the reaction mixture. The extent of the reaction can be monitored by determining the amount of water which is formed in the reaction, in ways which are well-known to those skilled in the art. Although a solvent may be included in the reaction mixture, the reaction is preferably carried out in the absence of a solvent. The reaction is typically carried out in the presence of a catalyst. Suitable catalysts include acids eg, phosphoric acid, preferably concentrated.
The product of the acylation reaction in which the amine is formed may be directly reacted with epichlorohydrin without further purification. Alternatively, the polyamine may be partially or fully purified prior to reaction with epichlorohydrin. The reaction of the amine with epichlorohydrin is typically carried out at an elevated temperature of 50xc2x0 C. to 110xc2x0 C., with the epichlorohydrin preferably being added to the amine. The reaction is preferably carried out in the absence of a solvent. A catalyst for the reaction (such as BF3 eg, as its etherate) is typically present in the reaction mixture. The product of the reaction may be partly purified (eg, by water washing or solvent extraction to remove any unreacted epichlorohydrin) or, where the product contains no unreacted epichlorohydrin, may be used as such in the fabric conditioning compositions of the invention.
The fabric care composition of the invention is conveniently prepared as an aqueous dispersion, suspension or emulsion. The compound (or mixture of compounds) is preferably present in the composition in an amount of up to 10% by weight, most preferably from 3% to 8% by weight. In addition to the perfume, the compositions may contain other additives including color and/or other fabric softening and/or conditioning agents.
The aqueous dispersion, suspension or emulsion is preferably prepared by mixing the compound with water at an elevated temperature, such as from 50 to 105xc2x0 C., preferably in the presence of an emulsifying agent. Emulsifying agents which may be used include nonionic emulsifying agents such as cocoa 20 EO, Genapol(trademark) (Hoechst, Germany), Ethylan C160(trademark) or Synperonic A20(trademark). The selection of a suitable emulsifying agent depends on the particular formulation and the manufacturing techniques employed and can be readily made by those skilled in the art. A fabric care composition of the invention may be prepared by adding perfume (and any other desired additives) to the aqueous dispersion, suspension or emulsion at any stage of the process for preparing the dispersion, suspension or emulsion, including before, or preferably, after the process.
The fabric care compositions may be used to soften and/or condition fabric during a laundering process. Laundering processes include large scale and small scale (eg, domestic) laundering processes. Preferably, the fabric care compositions are packaged and labelled for use in a domestic laundering process.
The fabric care composition is used in a method of treating fabric which comprises applying the-composition to (ie, bringing the composition into contact with) the fabric. Preferably, the composition is applied to the fabric during the rinse cycle of the laundering process (ie, after the fabric has been treated with a detergent composition).
The fabric which may be treated in the method of the invention may be in the form of a garment. Suitable fabrics include those of cotton (woven or knitted) and its mixtures with synthetics and also wool and silk. Other fabrics of natural and synthetic fibers, and mixtures thereof, may also be treated in the method of the invention.
The fabric care compositions of the invention have the advantage of imparting a relatively xe2x80x9cdry, non-greasyxe2x80x9d feel to fabrics, compared to fabrics treated with conventional compositions. Fabric treated with the compositions of the invention can also have the advantage of increased bulk, easier ironing (including easier garment manipulation on the ironing board, reduced creasing during ironing and some protection against recurrent seam distortion), reduced creasing on storage and enhanced hydrophobicity (thus giving greater water resistance).
Fabric care compositions suitable for delivery during the rinse cycle may also be delivered to the fabric in the tumble dryer if used in a suitable form. Thus, another product form for the compositions of the invention is a composition (for example, a paste) suitable for coating onto, and delivery from, a substrate e.g. a flexible sheet or sponge or a suitable dispenser during a tumble dryer cycle.
The compositions of the invention may contain one or more known fabric softening and/or conditioning agents, such as quaternary ammonium compounds eg, HEQ.
The compositions may also suitably contain a nonionic stabilising agent. Suitable nonionic stabilising agents are linear C8 to C22 alcohols alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide, C10 to C20 alcohols, or mixtures thereof.
Advantageously the nonionic stabilising agent is a linear C8 to C22 alcohol alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide. Preferably, the level of nonionic stabiliser is within the range from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 4% by weight. The mole ratio of the quaternary ammonium compound and/or other softening agent(s) to the nonionic stabilising agent is suitably within the range from 40:1 to about 1:1, preferably within the range from 18:1 to about 3:1.
The composition can also contain fatty acids, for example C8 to C24 alkyl or alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof. Preferably saturated fatty acids are used, in particular, hardened tallow C16to C18 fatty acids. Preferably the fatty acid is non-saponified, more preferably the fatty acid is free, for example oleic acid, lauric acid or tallow fatty acid. The level of fatty acid material is preferably more than 0.1% by weight, more preferably more than 0.2% by weight. Concentrated compositions may comprise from 0.5 to 20% by weight of fatty acid, more preferably 1% to 10% by weight. The weight ratio of quaternary ammonium material and/or other softening agent(s) to fatty acid material is preferably from 10:1 to 1:10.
The fabric conditioning compositions may include silicones, such as predominately linear polydialkylsiloxanes, e.g. polydimethylsiloxanes or aminosilicones containing amine-functionalised side chains; soil release polymers such as block copolymers of polyethylene oxide and terephthalate; amphoteric surfactants; smectite type inorganic clays; zwitterionic quaternary ammonium compounds; and nonionic surfactants.
The fabric conditioning compositions may also include an agent which produces a pearlescent appearance, e.g. an organic pearlising compound such as ethylene glycol distearate, or inorganic pearlising pigments such as microfine mica or titanium dioxide (TiO2) coated mica.
The fabric conditioning compositions may be in the form of emulsions or emulsion precursors thereof.
Other optional ingredients include emulsifiers, electrolytes (for example, sodium chloride or calcium chloride) preferably in the range from 0.01 to 5% by weight and pH buffering agents.
Further optional ingredients include non-aqueous solvents, perfume carriers, fluorescers, colorants, hydrotropes, antifoaming agents, antiredeposition agents, enzymes, optical brightening agents, opacifiers, dye transfer inhibitors, anti-shrinking agents, anti-wrinkle agents, anti-spotting agents, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, UV absorbers (sunscreens), heavy metal sequestrants, chlorine scavengers, dye fixatives, anti-corrosion agents, drape imparting agents, antistatic agents and ironing aids. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the following non-limiting examples.